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A Beguiling Holo-Gram
Thank you, Diane Krieger, for one of the best articles from USC Trojan Family Magazine in years. I was sad there wasn’t more. Your description of Fisher Gallery director Selma Holo in “The Professional’s Professional” [Summer 1999, p. 48] was so great that I had to share it with others. These words painted such beautiful pictures that I, too, chortled along with Norton Simon. More to come?
Michael W. Hulet ’88
Morgan Hill, CA
I couldn’t believe what I read in the third paragraph on page 39 [“For Art’s Sake,” Summer 1999]: “These circumstances put new pressures on curators, administrators and museum educators. No longer could they afford merely to be hermit scholars, courtiers to the rich and social directors for ladies of leisure who volunteered their time as docents.”
These comments were so far from the truth. I am one of the “ladies of leisure” who for close to 30 years was a volunteer docent at LACMA. I felt qualified to make a contribution as a docent. Since graduating from USC’s School of Education, I taught both in the Glendale and the L.A. Unified School Districts. I spent innumerable hours studying and preparing for museum tours.
The docent council is not a social group made up of “ladies of leisure.” It is a group of women and men – some still active in business, professions or retired – who have the ability and skills necessary to stimulate an interest in the public to get involved in the museum. Prospective docents are carefully screened before being accepted. LACMA has not acted as “social director” for this group. This statement is an insult to all of us.
Phyllis B. Schleicher ’47
Pacific Palisades, CA
We apologize for our unfortunate characterization of docents and appreciate reader Phyllis Schleicher calling it to our attention. Our zeal to explain the increasing professionalism of museum educators overcame our good sense in this instance.
Mexican-American Momentum
Being a Latina and an alumna, I’m excited to hear that the myth that “Latino students could never get into USC” is changing [“Latino Leverage,” Summer 1999, p. 20]. This has been made possible through the continued support, effort and collaboration the Mexican American Alumni Associa-tion provides to Latinos at USC. My highest regards to all the participants who have been involved in putting together these fundraisers.
Yvette Caballero ’96
Huntington Park, CA
Newman: Who Knew?
I read with interest your article on the newly renovated Alfred Newman Recital Hall [“A Performance Pearl,” Summer 1999, p. 12]. There is one bit of additional information that your readers may find interesting about the namesake, Alfred Newman. In addition to his other credits, Newman wrote the music for the 1947 film Captain from Castile, which included a song familiar to every Trojan, called “Conquest.” He was instrumental in giving “Conquest” – which has been played at every USC football game since the early 1950s – to USC.
Gerald S. Papazian ’77
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Unless the author or staff confused Alfred E. Newman with [another] great composer and film scorer of 20th Century Fox, a great omission has been made. Wasn’t Alfred Newman the one who dedicated “Conquest” to USC? It is astonishing that nothing was mentioned about any of that. I’ll bet you’ll get a ton of mail on this one.
Abe Gruber M.S., M.Ed. ’59
San Diego, CA
On behalf of the USC Thornton School of Music, I would like to express my thanks for the article about the Alfred Newman Recital Hall. The Thornton School – its dean, faculty and students – are very proud of our beautiful new hall, and we truly appreciate the attention you have shown us.
There was, however, an integral component of the Alfred Newman Recital Hall’s success that was not mentioned in your otherwise fine piece. The architectural design firm of SMP/SHG Inc. designed and oversaw the entire renovation project. SMP/SHG and lead architect Susan O’Connell were absolutely crucial in pulling together the technical and aesthetic aspects of the project – doing so on schedule and within budget – and thereby creating this world-class performance venue.
Walter Zooi
Director of Communications
USC Thornton School of Music
campus
Rocking the Jailhouse
The AB 3005 Committee noted the article “More Jail if You Fail,” [Summer 1999, p. 19] and has brought it to the attention of the Education and Inmate Programs unit of the Department of Corrections. The issue of recidivism is very important and one which the committee and the department have wrestled with a great deal. We agree with the conclusions of the researchers, but a great deal of additional research is needed to perfect the answer to the problem of recidivism in the state prisons of California.
Richard M. Brown ’74
Springville, C
Twin Power
I was intrigued by the article on the USC twin surgeons who operated on another set of twins [“Seeing Double in the O.R.,” Summer 1999, p.17]. I wonder how many times these look-alike surgeons were misidentified by their puzzled patients.
Ed (letf) and Fred Schapsmeier |
My twin brother Fred and I attended graduate school at USC during the 1960s. We always took the same classes or seminars. After an initial shock of seeing double, the confused professor spent the rest of the semester trying to link Ed or Fred to a seemingly identical face.
When, as graduate assistants, we taught frosh surveys in history, our students often took double-takes if they saw us together. When we were met in the halls by students, we learned to answer to either name. Being twins had its advantages. Besides having a genetic buddy, we could study together by dividing the research work involved. We even took our doctoral oral exams together (a first in the history department), answering alternate questions. As teacher/historians (me at Illinois State University, and Fred at the Univer-sity of Wisconsin-Oshkosh), we continued our collaboration by co-authoring four biographies (on Henry Wallace, Ezra Taft Benson, Everett Dirksen and Gerald Ford), two reference works (Encyclopedia of Agri-cultural History and Political Parties and Civic Action Groups), plus some 30 articles. Twin power more than doubled our normal academic and scholarly output.
In our retirement years, we took up golf. While playing, we frequently reminisce about our student days at USC. It was as enjoyable seeing the double-takes then as it is now.
Edward Schapsmeier ’65
Largo, FL
Family Feelings
Let me congratulate you all on the wonderful job that is done with every issue of USC Trojan Family Magazine. Even though we live on the other side of the continent (in New York) the magazine helps make us feel connected to USC.
Sudhir Gowda ’92
Ossining, NY
I have survived a rewarding career as a corporate public relations executive, freelance photojournalist and founder and editor of San Diego Home/Garden Magazine, which created a comfortable reader’s niche in our community. With my publishing, photo and writing background, I feel qualified to compliment you on the fine editorial quality, vitality and superb graphics found in USC Trojan Family Magazine. It is far better than any other university publication I have seen.
Payne Johnson ’57
San Diego, CA
I would like to commend your efforts in publishing USC Trojan Family Magazine. The publication is first-class quality and represents USC in a dignified manner. There are many alumni working at my firm (J&H Marsh & McLennan) and USC’s magazine is kept in our magazine area along with Fortune, Business Week, the Wall Street Journal and other publications.
Michael A. Heid ’95
Hermosa Beach, CA
This magazine is truly special for so many of us, and we eagerly look forward to its arrival four times a year. Please give my sincere appreciation to the staff; I know how much effort is required to do such an outstanding job.
Millie Farnsworth ’46
West Covina, CA
Trojan Memories
Thanks for another interesting issue of USC Trojan Family Magazine. Regarding the deaths of Ken Cory [“Alumni News,” Summer 1999, p. 69] and Ken Grossman [p. 67], another prominent Kappa Alpha at USC, you should do a piece on this now-defunct fraternity chapter which dates back before 1900 and has had such other outstanding alumni as the Stonier brothers (for whom Stonier Hall is named), geology professor Barney Pipkin, Judge Matt Byrne, Councilman John Ferraro, Al Wesson (who wrote books with Howard Jones and Dean Cromwell), Franklin Skeele (former public relations director for USC), Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz and many more. K.A. members in USC’s Hall of Fame include Jon Arnett, the McKeever twins, Jim Hardy, Al Gei-berger, Charley Paddock, Frank Wykoff and, I believe, Ferraro. I once wrote a piece on K.A. called “Life in a Jock House,” but it was much more than that, full of future architects, doctors, lawyers, judges, journalists, even a hotel magnate in far-off Moorea: Jay Carlisle.
Joe Jares ’59
Los Angeles, CA
I learned with sadness [“Alumni News,” Summer 1999 , p. 67-68] that former gridders Gaius (Gus) Shaver and Al Krueger have died. I wrote profile stories about them for sports publications. They were All-Americans and storybook heroes who played on the Thundering Herd teams of coach Howard Jones.
Shaver was a quarterback on the 1931 varsity that beat Notre Dame 16 to 14 in South Bend, thanks to Shaver’s two touchdowns and a last minute field goal by Johnny Baker. Knute Rockne had died in a plane accident earlier that year, leaving behind one of his best teams. Sports writers called it the game of the year.
Howard Jones had built his 1931 team into a national title contender. Shaver spoke of Jones with awe. “The coach told us to win it for ourselves. And that’s what we tried to do.” Gus’ teammates included other All-Americans Ernie Smith, Orv Mohler, Tay Brown and Ernie Pinckert.
Howard Jones stuck to fundamentals, said Gus. “He showed us how to block and tackle, how to catch passes.”
Shaver recalled that after the 1931 game against the Irish, the Trojan squad paid their respects to Rockne’s gravesite. Then, after arriving home, they were treated to a surprise – a parade down Broadway. It stretched three miles from City Hall to the campus. Gus said it was one of the greatest parades L.A. had ever seen, with thousands of people throwing confetti.
The Los Angeles Times wrote: “No conquering army of ancient Rome ever received a more tumultuous welcome.” Game films were shown at movie houses for a week. ’SC went on to defeat Tulane in the Rose Bowl and win the national title.
As for Al Krueger, he was one of the heroes of the 1939 Rose Bowl. He caught a series of passes from fourth-string quarter-back Doyle Nave to defeat Duke, 7-3. Duke was undefeated and unscored-upon that season. Krueger described Nave as being without peer as a passer. “When I caught his pass for the winning touchdown, the Rose Bowl was bedlam, and next thing I knew they were carrying us off the field.” A few years ago, Krueger and Nave were inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.
Morris Schulatsky ’50
Los Angeles, CA
Last summer, I was leading an eco-tour to Tanzania and Kenya and, as we were pulling up to a small row of shops at the equator monument in Kenya, I noticed the familiar colors of USC on a T-shirt worn by one of the shopkeepers. Of course I had someone snap his picture with me. He explained that just a few days earlier he had traded for the T-shirt.
William F. McComas
Associate Professor
USC Rossier School of Education (campus)
A USC class ring was found in Santa Ana, Calif., about five years ago by my father, and I just came across it again. It’s a woman’s ring from the class of 1973 with a blue center stone, 10K gold with the initials LP inside the band. Please contact me at (714) 704-8104 to claim your ring.
My third book, Los Angeles Radio Manufac-turing, The First Twenty Years, 1922 to 1942, was just published. The book references two radio companies: Trojan Factories and Troy. Troy is well-covered. Starting in 1933, the company made quality sets. Trojan Factories is not covered at all. Sketchy news items over the years noted the company may have been in business as early as 1923, making battery sets (typical of the 1920s). A few news items showed the company made a few models of cathedral radios in 1931; the last known date of existence for the Trojan Factories was in 1932.
Will you old-timers of USC help the author out by letting me know what you know about this company? I can be reached at (818) 242-8961.
Floyd A. Paul ’51
Glendale, CA
Dear alumnae of Sigma Phi Omega: Sigma Phi Omega was founded at USC in 1949 and is the third-oldest Asian-American sorority in the United States. We presently have seven chapters: at USC; Cal State Long Beach; University of Texas, Austin; San Diego State University; University of Houston; UC Berkeley; and Baylor University.
For the 50th anniversary of our founding, we want to reestablish bonds with our fellow Sigma sisters. Unfortunately, poor record-keeping has resulted in our losing touch with many of you. We are in search of our founding mothers. To our dismay, we don’t even know their names. Please get in touch with us through the USC Office of Greek and Residential Life, Sigma Phi Omega, c/o Jessica Chang and Leilani Basilio, Los Angeles, California 90089-4892, or call (213) 740-2080.
Katherine K. Lee ’97
Northbrook, IL
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